How important is religion in today’s society?

By Joe Evans

This question is of interest due to the almost constant refrain of fundamentalists stating that the modern world has often lost its respect and interest for religion. Has God once again been declared dead, as was the case in the early 1970s? Or is this simply that organized religion will need to redefine its origin; a dilemma similar to the one facing the Republican Party.

Religion and its importance in today’s society were the topics of recent interest for one university study which found a correlation with age and religious importance. About two- thirds of people living in the U.S. over the age of 65 stated that religion was important in their lives while more than half the people under the age of 50 stated that religion was not important. The survey suggested that this represents a shift in religious importance and is evidence of a new generation gap in America. Whether this is actually true or not, there still remains a basic question. Not so much the question on the importance of religion to various segments of society but a more general question of who is served by religion.

Is it good for some and does it serve a purpose in society? If religion does not tolerate society’s values should society tolerate religious values?

Two recently viewed movies suggest different conclusions. In the movie “Religulous,” Bill Maher suggests that religion suppresses one of our most important human attributes—doubt. He suggests that our ability to question—question authority, question existence or question society— is critical for human progression. He states that religion replaces doubt with a false, unsubstantiated surety. According to Bill, religion causes us to actually lose direction. Even worse, fanatical religious zealots or those who profess “they know” when that knowledge is only an illusion, become dangerous. I tend to agree with much of what Maher says and have noted in the past that our basic ability to question nature, society and in particular authority is essential for democracy, and this ability is often lost within religion.

On the other hand I also recently re-viewed the movie “Monster.” This particular movie is one of the most disturbing and truly frightening movies I have ever watched. It depicts what can happen if someone has no direction in their life. If their only purpose is existence in what can be a very cruel world, and they have no respect for basic laws of work and reward. If they consider themselves good people but have no sense of responsibility. If they are only satisfying a basic need for survival, then their loss of direction, work and what would otherwise be a basic understanding of right and wrong can result in terrifying results. A true loss of morality.

Hence religion, like most institutions, represents good and bad. Religion becomes a necessity for some and a restrictor for others. It represents a moral compass for those who have none and also holds back a basic need for development of a more democratic society.

While not having all the answers, I would suggest one common thread. Something we can all recognize. Religion stands as an important institution that can serve society but it also requires basic human temperance. Religious organizations should concern themselves with helping those who have no other guidance in their life. They should reach out to people who need and want direction. They should provide a social safety net and in order to accomplish that goal, they likely need the support of those who already have well-established values. Therefore religions not only require support by those who are well founded in their own sense of morality but religious organizations should make their number one goal helping those who have no direction.

On the other hand, religions need not be over-zealous. No need to fight among themselves as to who is right or wrong. No need to enlist everyone in their ranks. No need to make themselves something more than what they are. No religion is free of tyranny if its entirety of teachings comes from one leader or one small group of like-minded individuals. Zealots become dangerous. Too powerful. Too fanatical.

Religions should likely remain as a formidable institution within society but not its cornerstone. Many can live happy, moral and godly lives without religion. Many do better and are better people when religion does not run their life. However, the downtrodden, the ones who don’t know what it means to love thy neighbor, the ones who need direction, or simply those who want the company of others every Sunday—these are those who benefit from religious organizations.

Joe Evans of Pocatello is an environmental scientist.

34 comments - What do you think?
Posted by
ifennell -
August 8, 2009 at 12:22 AM

34 Responses to “How important is religion in today’s society?”

I am assuming that Joe doesnt believe in God let alone religion, especially if he is quoting Bill Maher. So given that ,its hard to logically argue his points about religion because most “religous” people believe in God and thats what motivates their turning to religion where Gods laws are spelled out providing a moral compass and values to live by. Joe quotes Bill with “religion replaces doubt with false unsubstantiated surety” how can he or Joe tell someone else it is false. It is very real to me and even though I cant prove or convince it to Joe, well he cant prove that it isnt true. He refers to those who already have a moral compass and values as those who dont need religion. I guess anyone who needs or believes in a religion are backwoods idiots. It is the typical radical left wing view that anyone believing in God are intellilectially inferior, and therefore need religion. Joe should have commented on Obama as one of those without morals or values because last I checked he and Rev. Wright are real tight. Maybe one day we can have a President we can truly know is intelligent and has good values because he or she will be God free and religious free. By the way how do you think the non religious got their values? Religion and a belief in God and religion played a major role with our founding fathers and in the laws of this land, so the very things the nonreligious view as right and wrong have been influenced by religion.

Mr. Evans religious? That takes a bit of imagination and then some. He gets his religion from movies? That’s an even bigger stretch. No, that sounds about right.

Perhaps if he practiced what he writes about I might be more interested. As it is, I think he and Mr. Hitchcock sound way too similiar. Especially his comments about limiting people who are religious. Sounds like taking rights away from people because they’re religious. Famous tactic of the secular crowd. If you’re religious you can’t speak out on almost anything per them. Sort of like present day Democrats who say you can’t speak out against their personification of greatness called Obama, it’s just not allowed. They’re your judges and they’re always right.

Last paragraph is the CROCK. In which case Mr. Evens I expect you on the front pews, front and center tomorrow as you need some guidance and bad. You’re one of those you describe. Your environment is in sad need of guidance. You think you’ve seen the light and it’s a frieght train coming your way at top speed. You have no one to blame but yourself for the resulting impact on your psyche.

So if you are sure of your world you are either an idiot or a hate monger?

Morality developed through 100,000 + years of evolution, from bad choices, good choices and observation. All that knowledge was collected into a philosophy called religion.
The best of that observation was condensed into a word: God. God is not religion. Religion is Christian, Buddhist, Muslin, Judaism, and all their branches: Catholic, Shiite, Orthodox . . . .

You will NOT rid the world of guilt or valuation by destroying God. You will only get rid of the wisdom and goodness collected as man climbed down from the trees and finally created . . . . You.

Wow, I’m not even sure what to make of this one. I suppose I’ll give it a go, though:

1. You would do a lot for your credibility if you hadn’t started with the word “fundamentalists” in the very first sentence. You should well know how loaded that term is, and that the use of it serves only to predetermine one’s hostility to religion and religious belief.

2. How can a religion determine its set of beliefs if they can’t debate their view of right vs. wrong amongst its followers? That makes no sense whatsoever.

3. How does one determine when a religion is trying to become “more than what they are”? And what does that even mean? You’ve certainly made an effort to pigeonhole religion into whatever kind of entity you believe it should be (ie “social safety net”, “people who need direction”, etc). Just because you think religion is for the poor, mindless masses, doesn’t mean that they do (or should).

4. As unusual as it seems for me to say, I have to agree with Disgusted’s final sentiment.

Wasn’t Karl the Marx who said that “Opium is the religion of the masses…” Or was it the other way around? Either way, religion is at the very least, a topic worthy of honest, intellectual discussion and at most the only key to your holy and everlasting salvation.

Actually, this is the first time this liberal said anything
right. Religion is dead. After the baby boomers die out
there will probably be nothing left but atheists. And all
these million+ dollar churches will go to waste.

While religion seems to be nothing more than a stumbling block that opposes society’s movement towards generating greater secular common spaces, true respect and understanding for it however, is perhaps the most effective way to reconcile existing differences in order to establish a strong foundation for the creation of a harmonious and close-knitted global community.

Nice to hear so many people standing up for what they believe in. I believe that society is where it is today because God has been watered down so much by those that whom only believe in their selves and what is best for them and not the masses. God being taken out of state is to only serve the needs of those greedy politicians that want to get elected or to become reelected. As far as my existence, it is certainly a matter of opinion on whether it is a miserable existence or not. But that is really up to me and only me.

You don’t need religion in order to know the difference between right and wrong. You can determine that yourself through meditation and going out and experiencing what is actually right and wrong to you, like I do and most everyone does every day. I am not condoning religious people, even though I am not one, I love religious people! I just believe you are able to discern moral goodness from personal experience rather from some deity or god or spirit or ancestor telling you what to do all the time. Just my personal opinion.

Their is more to religion then what you understand. Morals can be taught and everyone becomes downtrodden and have doubt at some point in time. The big thing that you missed altogether is that humans have a tendency to be Arrogant. That is their down fall.

People are limited in what they know, even the most educated. Money can buy a lot yet the rich are not happy. Power has led to many downfalls. If people do not let God lead their lives they will not be able to live to the fullest.

na but in all seriousness…
i respect the views of those whom follow religion, im a catholic although i dont see how god or jesus christ interferes with my life in any way or why is hould devote my life to what ery well may be a fictisious character. some say that religion is essintial for developing morals and ethics vital to humanity. but the question we need to think about is that is this possible to achieve without going to church every sunday? or worshiping god or folowing a religion for that matter? good morals can be taught without worshiping god. childrens cartoons teach a moral of the story. summed up the point im trying to put across is that acheving morals, ehtics and a sense of right and wrong can be achieved without the worship of a God.
gosip girl xoxo

You would believe in a “God” because you live to follow someone. With Jesus, you believe in him, and this “Jesus” has been known way back since the b.c’s. Also, why would people believe in something that is not true? It may be possible to achieve, you just have to spend your time praying whenever you can, and taking time out of your life to try to be with Him. You should follow a religion if it is what you believe. Just because you don’t believe it at first, does not mean that you won’t afterwards. You need to give it a chance. You can be taught good morals through everyday life, your correct in that, but many people find good morals with His teachings; but, tell me how you will achieve good morals without a “God”. Who will you learn from?

Stephanie, Stephanie, Stephanie…
Im not sure what you are trying to say.
To clear the air, i do not believe in a “God”, nor do i live to follow someone. You said that the “non-believers” can acheive a oneness wth god if they spend time praying whenever they can… Stephanie, THEY ARE NON-BELIEVERS FOR A REASON!! As the name suggests they do not beleive and god and im gonna take a stab in the dark here and guess that they probably dont have any intention of spending all their free time praying to a god that they dont even believe in.

You asked me: “tell me how you will achieve good morals without a “God”. Who will you learn from? but 1 sentence before that u said: “You can be taught good morals through everyday life, your correct in that:. u my friend, have just answered your own question, and proved me correct.
thankyou for your contribution

It’s amazing how disjointed people become over this topic. Since its 2009 post the commentors appear confused when it comes to religion and God; these are mutually exclusive, after all. Regardless of assertions made here experience teaches us what we need to know and mental processing of thoughts tell and reflect behavior. Religion is the arrogant assumption that mass hysteria will occur amongst the uneducated unless controlled by spreading institutionalizing doctrine. God is mere belief in a higher authority than you…

Humpti,
ur concept is beautiful although id like to tweak it a little bit. onstead of saying that religion and god are mutually exclusive, may i say that god and spirituality ar mutually exclusive. in that i can be a good person and have good morals without worshiping god?